tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87598063039776888602015-07-27T09:00:07.078-04:00The Heckeler - Historical Performance and BeyondViews from experiences in Early Music performance. Bassoons, Music, Travel, Life.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyondhttps://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-27205281969046620352015-07-27T09:00:00.000-04:002015-07-27T09:00:07.100-04:00Great Minds Against Themselves ConspireHenry Purcell and Nahum Tate’s <i>Dido and Aeneas </i>is a piece with a rich performance history in modern times. Since a revival in 1895 and an edition printed in 1889, the work has drawn the attention of a number of musical celebrities including Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Benjamin Britten, Christopher Hogwood, William Christie, and Alexander Weimann – who, along with <i>Les Voix Baroques</i>, will be performing it at <a href="http://www.chamberfest.com/">Chamberfest</a> 2015. A triumph of human tragedy, today countless recordings of Dido are available and it sits as one of, if not the most well-known opera in the English language. But can we claim, as Chamberfest has done in its <a href="http://www.chamberfest.com/concerts/15-727-05/">promotional material</a>, that it is “Henry Purcell’s greatest of all English operas”?<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/great-minds-against-themselves-conspire.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/wVi10Cn1T38" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street, Ottawa, ON K2P, Canada45.416931 -75.69551189999998522.6635395 -117.00410589999998 68.1703225 -34.386917899999986http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/great-minds-against-themselves-conspire.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-35472973245863173642015-07-17T13:29:00.002-04:002015-07-17T13:29:54.891-04:00An Unfortunate Detail<div class="MsoNormal">On my way across the Atlantic on Wednesday I received a communication about an upcoming performance. It was a line that any bassoonist dreads, especially one who is already in transit to the performance: “Sorry for any confusion, but <i><b>it’s at 392</b></i>.”</div><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/an-unfortunate-detail.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/mweIel-axvg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Montréal, Montréal, QC H2L, Canada45.51667 -73.56389000000001545.424797999999996 -73.725251500000013 45.608542 -73.402528500000017http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/an-unfortunate-detail.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-7401421112439588182015-07-14T14:32:00.001-04:002015-07-14T14:42:09.729-04:00There's a smell about this churchThere&#39;s a smell about this church. From the South-East corner of the yard of the Abbaye de Saint-Riquier the breeze tastes sweet. The flowers which line the lawn are in full bloom yet there aren&#39;t enough of them, to my estimate, which could produce such a presence.<br><br><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://photosynth.net/embed.aspx?cid=c5b4328c-b159-4db3-860e-c5f3c60be596&amp;delayLoad=true&amp;slideShowPlaying=false" width="500"></iframe><br><div><br></div><div>The Gothic abbey is encircled on three sides by a structure which struck me to be of 19th century French design. Beginning adjacent to the ornate facade, the later building surrounds the south and east sides of the abbey in a rectangular fashion. It has a simplicity to it: its long, narrow design with windowed walls are uniform, only lightly accented. The abbey&#39;s massive construction with flying buttresses, gargoyles, and other decorations make for a stark contrast.<br><br></div></div><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/theres-smell-about-this-church.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/pgnSpVA64Rc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Saint-Riquier, France50.134581 1.945999000000028950.053152999999995 1.784637500000029 50.216009 2.1073605000000288http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/theres-smell-about-this-church.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-23468919436506071492015-07-07T10:03:00.004-04:002015-07-07T10:13:21.139-04:00Google Maps c. 1746The Centre for Metropolitan History and Museum of London Archaeology has georeferenced a map using the Google Maps platform.<br /><br />In taking John Rocque's impressive <i>A plan of the cities of London and Westminster, and borough of Southwark</i>, and laying it over the current map and marking common points between the original survey and the GIS (you can read all about the process <a href="http://www.locatinglondon.org/static/MappingMethodology.html">here</a>, a wonderful interactive map has been created.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/John_Rocque's_Map_of_London%2C_1746.png/400px-John_Rocque's_Map_of_London%2C_1746.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/John_Rocque's_Map_of_London%2C_1746.png/400px-John_Rocque's_Map_of_London%2C_1746.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Rocque's original map, divided into 24, 3.84 x 2.01 meter sheets.</td></tr></tbody></table>This is as good of a look as one can get if you're interested in the geography of Handel's London.<br /><br />Check it out at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.locatinglondon.org/">locatinglondon.org</a>.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/mCtZbB9FMuY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/07/google-maps-c-1746.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-87299489643135304952015-06-23T05:20:00.000-04:002015-06-23T05:20:05.123-04:00ArticulationOver the past few weeks I have been collecting information to write a booklet for young modern bassoonists who are beginning to look at early repertoire for the instrument. I began work on this project when it was recently announced that I would be the historical bassoonist on staff at the <a href="http://www.brookevalleybassoondays.com/" target="_blank">Brooke Valley Bassoon Days</a> in Lanark County, Ontario, this August (unfortunately, due to scheduling I wasn&#39;t able to get on the poster below...). It will be a great opportunity to talk to young musicians and shape their inquiry into the area of early music without the baggage which comes with learning a new instrument.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/articulation.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/UB9KbzcKIuk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/articulation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-9004528221293797192015-06-19T09:00:00.000-04:002015-06-19T09:00:08.309-04:00Temper's FlareBelow is a response to Richard Todd’s “<a href="http://www.wolfgangstonic.com/temper-temper" target="_blank">Temper Temper</a>”, an article published in April. This response was submitted not more than a few days after Todd&#39;s article was published, but I only received confirmation this week that it did not fit the submission guidelines of the same publication. Therefore I have copied it in full for you below.<br><br>‘Baroque’ is a word which all music students are familiar with. Indeed, even since Mr. Todd’s school days have teachers introduced a music history course centered on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the definition of barocco. Literally taken, it means ‘a deformed pearl’. It wasn’t something anyone in the eighteenth century wanted attributed to their work either, but, though I dare not shout too loud, I believe there is something to be learned about ourselves from it.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/tempers-flare.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/ZOlLOyGoZwc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Basel, Switzerland47.5674422 7.597550700000056247.481711700000005 7.4361892000000562 47.6531727 7.7589122000000561http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/tempers-flare.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-68651679513355421312015-06-12T12:13:00.000-04:002015-07-02T16:13:59.269-04:00Out with a Bang<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tonight marks the last of four performances of <span data-blogger-escaped-style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Handel&#39;s Music for the Royal Fireworks with </span>Ensemble Zefiro. In a very much royal affair, Wednesday night saw four thousand people descend on the palace gardens of Versailles to witness a fireworks show synchronized to Handel&#39;s classic. Needless to say, they got what they paid for.</span><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span><br></div><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/out-with-bang.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/MRDuatLTdoY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/06/out-with-bang.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-57316605444612995052015-05-29T10:58:00.000-04:002015-05-29T10:58:16.225-04:00The Right RoomLast week I performed my first professional recital in the greater Switzerland. Along with my friends Alexandra and Ziv, I performed a program of a variety of obscure works for bassoon, including a piece of my own. The venue was a 16th century Schloss in Hahnberg, near lake Constance.<br /><br />The building was incredible in that it was owned by a man who is a professional architect specializing in the restoration of 'ancient' structures. His Schloss, which he restored himself, is now in immaculate condition. The concert room, about the size of a small living-room with a vaulted ceiling, was originally a kitchen until it was renovated in the 17th century.<br /><br />Most worrisome for an ensemble consisting of archlute, viola da gamba, and bassoon is balance. Though in a rehearsal setting balance isn't necessarily a primary concern (as we weren't rehearsing at the venue), we were conscious that I could easily overpower the group in a loftier acoustic. Furthermore, Alexandra and I were to play <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FTdO4kvB0U" target="_blank">Couperin's 13e Concert</a>, from <i>Les Gouts-reunis, </i>a piece which can be problematic when played by a bassoon and gamba.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kvzlqZUUX_Y/VWh3duTBaiI/AAAAAAAAAaY/2JRIKLa8g1A/s640/blogger-image-524879732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kvzlqZUUX_Y/VWh3duTBaiI/AAAAAAAAAaY/2JRIKLa8g1A/s200/blogger-image-524879732.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trio at the facade of<br />Schloss Kleiner Hahnberg</td></tr></tbody></table>Entering the concert room which was bursting with fifty spectators, I was curious to hear what the group sound would be. When we first arrived we got an idea of what to expect, but the presence of a crowd can have a huge impact on the acoustic. Playing the first notes of the program we were delighted. Not only was the balance excellent, but the proximity of the audience and their investment in the performance made for quite the experience.<br /><br />Coming home on the train the discussion centered on the concert room. So rare is it these days that we get to perform chamber music in the very kind of room known to the composers and amazing it was that our primary concern that day was vanquished by it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/AwekKFRGk8A" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Hahnberg, 9305, Switzerland47.4945 9.414960000000064621.972465500000002 -31.893633999999935 73.0165345 50.723554000000064http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/05/the-right-room.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-91801846722505970502015-04-12T05:25:00.000-04:002015-04-12T05:25:12.777-04:00RadicalsYesterday I read an <a href="http://www.wolfgangstonic.com/when-stuff-hits-the-fans/" target="_blank">article by Richard Todd</a> on Wolfgang's Tonic summing up in his words the effect Lisitsa/TSO calamity had on Stewart Goodyear. I wasn't particularly interested on commenting directly on the feed since that usually grabs the attention of the wrong kind of people. I decided then that I would put it up here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wolfgangstonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/lisitsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wolfgangstonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/lisitsa.jpg" height="100" width="200" /></a>Obviously subjective judgments on pianists aside, I was a little unnerved by the term "free-speech radicals" used to describe an apparent subgroup who pushed Stewart Goodyear to dropping the gig. I don't condone the mob's actions, especially as they dealt with their frustrations by shooting the messenger, so to speak, but that term unfairly diminishes them and sets a dangerous precedent.<br /><br />This is not the first time those words have been used to describe opponents to perceived 'censorship' issues in the arts - take the 2001 Death of Klinghoffer affair in Boston for instance. However, in the context of the online hysteria arising from the TSO blunder pidgeon-holing a cross section of misguided thugs as 'free-speech radicals' only opens the door for the people who really executed Lisitsa's dropping - those unnamed big time 'donors' - to gain standing. If donors have the power to affect the TSO's hiring policy so visibly, who's to say they won't try it again when it suits them while labeling opposition as 'radical'.<br /><br />If the mob really wishes for this case never to be repeated then institutional change must be made across the board - a radical suggestion, perhaps? But that won't happen if personal attacks remain the norm on the one side, while the other has the establishment by the balls.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/IMraJqQNpR0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/04/radicals.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-75307462994952607092015-04-04T20:24:00.000-04:002015-04-05T16:17:44.593-04:00Choirboys Gone Wild<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pE-G_K9mKIE/VSBwRrsRpsI/AAAAAAAAAZg/A39GSy11GWc/s1600/Hayes%2BArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pE-G_K9mKIE/VSBwRrsRpsI/AAAAAAAAAZg/A39GSy11GWc/s1600/Hayes%2BArt.jpg" height="320" width="199"></a>As I was digging yesterday I came across a <a href="http://imslp.nl/imglnks/usimg/a/a3/IMSLP69503-PMLP139988-hayes_art_of_composing_music_1751.pdf" target="_blank">composition treatise</a> signed &quot;Bar_____ G___n&quot;. It&#39;s a pretty nasty piece of work, actually. The pamphlet is attributed to William Hayes (1708 - 1777), Professor of Music at Oxford (1741 onwards), who clearly had it in for Birmingham organist Barnabus Gunn (d. 1753).<br><br>Gunn&#39;s supposed &#39;method&#39; involved the first description of aleatory composition by use of what Hayes calls the &#39;Spruzzarino&#39;, a pen which spurted ink indiscriminately on the page. Hayes also makes a number of comments on Gunn&#39;s seeming lack of understanding of the foundations of music.<br><blockquote class="tr_bq">&quot;As the <i>Spruzzarino </i>will not make Flats, or Sharps, you are to place them, where you think they will look best: no matter as to Propriety; the more odd, the more new and unexpected.&quot;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">&quot;As to Quick and Slow Movements, no particular Disposition is required: either with respect to Measure or Modulation; the Technical <i>Italian</i> Words do all.&quot;<br></blockquote><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/04/choirboys-gone-wild.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/Dgh0eG08d8Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/04/choirboys-gone-wild.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-60995798229748340392015-03-25T19:24:00.001-04:002015-03-25T19:24:55.607-04:00Claiming AuthorityAs an <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/definitions.html" target="_blank">Early Musician</a>, I have come across numerous philosophies (or pseudo-philosophies) relating to performance. I&#39;m not saying there should be a consensus, but I am troubled that many tacitly assume their reasoning is generally-accepted since there is no real medium for collective discussion on the broader HIP movement. Of those who do make their thoughts known, the most visible opinions on early music performance usually make a bold claim. &#39;Authenticity&#39;, &#39;correctness&#39;, or whatever they call it, is often touted by performers and their agents.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/03/claiming-authority.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/BVdrn0tPrWc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/03/claiming-authority.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-24791083313961195742015-03-04T11:32:00.001-05:002015-03-04T11:32:18.961-05:00Subject and DeadlineIt's funny how productive you can be, given the right framework. When I began this blog I wrote most often while I was commuting for lessons between Ottawa and Montreal. Writing while travelling has become so ingrained in me that I can't avoid thinking about it when I sit facing the back of another chair. Naturally, touring with <a href="http://www.eubo.eu/" target="_blank">EUBO</a>&nbsp;allowed the experiences and time in transit to put my thoughts on to paper, so to speak. Those periods when I am not touring, however, often prove to be difficult for me. Except, it seems, when I'm approached to do it.<br /><br />Just a few days ago I was asked to write a post for a new online publication and, after sitting down for a few hours, it has already been submitted. In the words of Leonard Bernstein, "to achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not enough time." In my case, to write something simple all I needed was to be given a subject and a deadline.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.giphy.com/media/ZD15WSGbn0BR6/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.giphy.com/media/ZD15WSGbn0BR6/giphy.gif" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/-vw1g1TK0JI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com1http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/03/subject-and-deadline.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-64391296434798185212015-02-16T23:03:00.000-05:002015-03-04T11:32:55.897-05:00Shameless Self-PromotionThis Thursday I will be performing my first professional solo recital. Not exactly what you might expect, the majority of my program will be music I have composed in my own style for my Eichentopf instrument.<br><br><a href="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53849b81e4b050f84ce34010/t/544d2d6ce4b007f43083ab15/1423679447931/?format=1500w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53849b81e4b050f84ce34010/t/544d2d6ce4b007f43083ab15/1423679447931/?format=1500w" height="141" width="320"></a>A few months ago Curtis Perry, executive director of <i><a href="http://www.onmc.info/" target="_blank">Ottawa New Music Creators</a>, </i>graciously invited me to perform in the series this season. Though we had both wished that I premier a piece or two from another composer, there didn&#39;t seem to be enough interest in the call for scores. No matter. Four pieces of mine will receive their premier, and two others will have their first performance in Canada.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/02/shameless-self-promotion.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/9I6hW5Mdj78" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/02/shameless-self-promotion.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-22422242657520391662015-01-20T03:34:00.000-05:002015-03-04T11:33:13.586-05:00More GeekynessTo the shock of everyone, Thursday saw an explosion in the money markets. In a matter of minutes after the Swiss central bank removed the policy of keeping the franc to euro ratio at 1.20 to 1, the euro fell and the franc rose to the point that they sit this weekend almost exactly on par. Tough as it will be as a Canadian abroad (the Canadian dollar is sitting at an all time low against the franc), as a reed-maker I benefitted greatly from the volatility of the market on Friday morning.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/01/more-geekyness.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/CTiAXUYZN34" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/01/more-geekyness.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-4297873075881344972015-01-08T13:30:00.000-05:002015-01-08T16:53:26.345-05:00Baroque Bassoonist's ParadiseToday I write from the train to Schipol after spending most of the morning with <a href="http://www.peterdekoningh.nl/" target="_blank">Peter de Koningh</a>. Back for usual maintenance, my <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2012/04/pdk-eichentopf-first-half-of-18th-c.html" target="_blank">Eichentopf</a> instrument feels like it did when it first arrived in Ottawa nearly three years ago. While I was there I had the chance to 'toot' a number of instruments in PdK's shop including the anonymous 440 instrument used in Sergio Azzolini's most recent recordings, and the new "<a href="http://peterdekoningh.nl/anonymous-rockobaur-5/" target="_blank">Rockobaur</a>" instrument at 415. Boy, what a treat.<br><div><br></div><div>It was very interesting to hear the variety of timbres between the three instruments, my senses being more acute to their qualities by the fact that they stood side-by-side. Each instrument could play easily chromatically up to high a, with Bb not far out of reach for one who was a little more familiar with the instrument. The anonymous instrument had that incredible 'Ferrari'-like sound we've come to know from Azzolini's Vivaldi recordings; the Rockobaur had a very deep, smooth lower register with an even tone and intonation on easy fingerings (think of a Denner model, except better); and my Eichentopf stood almost exactly in between combining a vibrant sound with facility and depth in the low chromatics.<br><div><br></div><div>I was most surprised to find that my reed for the Eichentopf model seemed to worked very well with both the Rockobaur and the anonymous instrument, playing at pitch and with just as much flexibility and subtlety of sound. Interesting though that the characteristics of each instrument still shone through, as if my reed acted solely as the key to unlocking each one.</div><div><br></div><div>As a modern bassoonist I have been taught that there are so many variations in reed making, and each can have a profound effect upon the sound and playability of an instrument. Just read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Bassoon-Reed-Manual-Techniques/dp/0253213126" target="_blank">this</a>. What is easily forgotten in the modern world is that of all the bassoons out there, most are essentially minor variations on the same prototype. Yes there are differences between makers and models, but the biggest differences in heckle-system instruments between 1950 and 2014 pale in comparison to an <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2012/04/wolfhkicw-c1700.html" target="_blank">HKICW</a> and a <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2012/04/pdkprudent-thierrot-c1770.html" target="_blank">Prudent</a>. Reed making has become such a precise science today to meet the demands for technical 'perfection' from the modern instrument that many fail to appreciate how far we've come in terms of equipment.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Of course, someone proficient on one instrument might have preferences in their reeds depending on their taste (in this case, my 'standard' Eichentopf model) or the demands of a work, but imagine my surprise to find that the same reed functioned easily on&nbsp;<i>three</i>&nbsp;very different models!</div><div><br></div><div>P.S. in reading above you might label me a 'de Koningh Artist', if that were such a thing. But c'mon. Try the instruments for yourself.</div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/eNDOMFgIYjU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Amsterdam Airport Schiphol52.309805 4.759889http://www.theheckeler.ca/2015/01/baroque-bassoonist-paradise.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-5217693521229553562014-12-22T19:42:00.001-05:002015-03-24T19:33:05.912-04:00Definitions<div>This post is one I've been meaning to make for a long time. Below you will find my own definitions to terminology I use periodically.<b></b><br /><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><b><br /></b></b><b><b>The Performance</b></b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>A sacred act in music. The moment when energy, existing without form, is formulated by, and transmitted through the performer(s). The energy is then received by an audience, whose response returns back to the performer(s). The performer(s) prepare for this activity yet they are guided in the act by inspiration (sprezzatura). The goal of this activity is a shared experience between performer(s) and audience.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><b style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Historically-Informed Performance (HIP)</b></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Movement in 20th/21st Century classical music involving numerous aspects of performance. Musicians self-identifying in the HIP movement perform on period- and regionally-specific instruments (or copies of instruments) relating to a given work. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of past performance practices and contextual research. Any work from any time period can be subject to an historically-informed performance.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /></div><div><b>Early Musician</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>A musician who has undergone a reevaluation in their development. One who has had the traditional classical music upbringing and is later introduced to HIP. This reevaluation includes a period of time focused on developing skills on a period instrument (or instruments), study of primary sources relating to performance practice, period-specific contextual studies, as well as an analysis of the goals of that musician and how they relate to the goals of HIP.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Period-Instrument Performer</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Musicians who self-identify with the HIP movement but who have not undergone the above-mentioned reevaluation. Most often this musician plays a period instrument (or copy), or owns relevant equipment to perform with early musicians (baroque bow, gut strings, etc.).&nbsp;<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">However,&nbsp;</span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">a period-instrument performer can have spent their whole development in HIP. Regardless of their introduction to the movement,</span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">&nbsp;p</span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">eriod-instrument performers have not often fully considered the goals or merits of the movement and how they relate to their own.&nbsp;</span>The technical level of these players can vary from amateur to world-class professionals.</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/1Bsck_K78EI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/definitions.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-30250208541625780392014-12-16T10:18:00.001-05:002014-12-16T10:18:31.155-05:00Enlightenment<a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/elements.html#more" target="_blank">Eubo&#39;s last six concerts</a> have been quite intensive for its bassoonist. With solos or soli sections in Jean-Féry Rebel&#39;s <i>Les Éléments</i>, as well as a number of vigorous passages in our combination suite of dances from Rameau&#39;s <i>Zaïs, Platée, </i>and<i> Les Boréades</i>, I&#39;ve had to work harder than ever before in concert and there is no doubt that any bassoonist would shudder a little to think of how much energy it would take to go the distance. What kept me looking forward to every night wasn&#39;t the challenge, however, it was the opportunity to play Rameau&#39;s <i>Entrée de Polymnie,</i> from <i>Les Boréades</i>. It is one of, if not <i>The, </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCWeAI4AYxM" target="_blank">most beautiful pieces ever written</a> for strings, flute, and obbligato bassoon.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/enlightenment.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/tVcfXkRduwQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/enlightenment.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-17396878521737426272014-12-08T16:59:00.000-05:002014-12-08T16:59:00.933-05:00ElementsA few weeks ago in MOMO class we had an exercise where every student had to speak for a minute or two on a given subject. Mine was &#39;age&#39;. &quot;If a conservatory were to hire a talented 21 year old in 1960, the hiring committee would, <a href="http://www.semibrevity.com/2014/06/frans-bruggen-the-early-years-1942-1959-with-his-teacher-kees-otten/" target="_blank">and did</a>, see the candidate as an investment in the future of the institution. If that same candidate were to be hired today the decision would be looked upon as &#39;risky&#39; and no doubt there would be a call for the committee to reexamine their options. So,&quot; I asked, &quot;when do I lose my youth?&quot; At that moment a discussion started. Discussions rarely happen in MOMO, but when they do there is <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2013/02/a-question-of-substitution.html">plenty to think about.</a><br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/elements.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/j2WpFSYfm18" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0Warsaw, Poland52.2296756 21.01222870000003751.9184766 20.366781700000036 52.5408746 21.657675700000038http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/12/elements.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-84203755397050522932014-09-10T08:14:00.001-04:002014-12-08T17:32:19.120-05:00Apples and OrangesAfter witnessing some coverage of the annual Apple Inc. launch I couldn't help but be stunned. A company who sells gadgets and gizmos has been held up so high by North American society that even news corporations shamelessly cover their event with previews, speculations, summary articles, as well as even 'live blogs'. Apple's branding has become so successful that many people my age see themselves as part of a tribe. Whether or not they are up to date with the equipment, I'm sure many of us have had that jokey conversation when, at a table loaded with smart-phone users, someone pulls out the apple product to cat-calls.<br><br>Marketing these days is becoming so pervasive that it is hard not think to define ourselves by what we buy, rather than who we are. Just yesterday I was on the train to Liestal and saw a billboard ask "who are you?" asserting that we would 'find ourselves' by what we bought at their store. Marketing is everywhere and it's getting <a href="https://www.google.ch/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CB0QtwIwAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DE_F5GxCwizc&amp;ei=3ykQVOnBDsOxO4LLgbgG&amp;usg=AFQjCNGrjuSwu_4XiND4esGne4N0sUHMdg&amp;sig2=seAaWF1rTGGiBID9rjeQDw&amp;bvm=bv.74649129,d.ZWU">sneakier the more we learn to ignore it</a>, and branding has the potential to have a powerful grip over the way we act. Just look at the Apple announcement as an example.<br><a name="more"></a><br><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Are you a dog person, or a cat person? An Apple user, or a PC user?</i></span></blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Trz6GBpWDnE/VBA2IeeMDGI/AAAAAAAAAYY/SODGTTucl-g/s1600/all.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Trz6GBpWDnE/VBA2IeeMDGI/AAAAAAAAAYY/SODGTTucl-g/s1600/all.png" height="200" width="171"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple makes the front page of many news services today</td></tr></tbody></table>Rituals can be powerful and those who might have wanted their fix could certainly have gotten theirs at the launch yesterday in Cupertino, California. Hardcore techies, reporters, and other choir members were made witness to quite the spectacle. U2 performed and CEO Tim Cook, holding the traditional role of the 'priest', displayed the miracles of his new technology to the onlookers. Curiously, the late Steve Jobs, whom we've all seen on the face plastered on books and other news articles since his death, has taken on the role of a quasi-deity. Just <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2014/09/abc-news-david-muirs-one-on-one-with-tim-cook/">read this headline</a>. This ritual, however fantastic it may seem, has a rather insidious goal. Where traditional religions encourage charity, spirituality, the rejection of materialism; Apple's paradigm sees these inverted with materialism and self-gratification taking top positions. Different here from tradition is that Apple's devices not only position themselves as to make you happy, they continue to build themselves into how you manage your life. It has replaced your phone, calendar, it's now <a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-pay/">reaching into your wallet</a>, and let's not speak about how devices like these have changed <a href="http://weneverlookup.tumblr.com/">social behaviour</a>. It's all worrying to me as a performer.<br><br>It isn't so much the power of the brand which worries me the most, it's the fact that the catalyst for Apple's success came with a device purported to make music easier to carry, as well as to access (as long as you had the money to pay for it, of course): the ipod. Since its introduction in 2001, digital music downloads through services like itunes, have continued to take larger portions of the market and it's inconceivable today for a musician not to release their albums digitally. More importantly, itunes' popular business model - setting most songs at $0.99 a track - helped quantify the value of a performance to the average listener.<br><br>Music is something everyone likes, and no matter what your favorite genre is the musicians who make a career to entertain, to challenge, to move you must do so by performing for a live audience. A recording may be an excellent business card, a good way of telling whether you a certain musician or the music they perform, but don't let the current market culture tell you that you are what you own. The very nature of performance stands antithetical to Apple's branding, as a performance only exists in the moment. Once that moment has ended, it's gone never to return. Unlike a digital download. Troubling here that a corporation has managed to have so much impact on a culture all the while creating the perception of being a champion of music.<br><br>What I mean to say here today is, essentially, don't let the glamour of technology let you substitute it for experiences which might, in fact, help you discover who you are. Don't be fooled by those billboards telling you that you are what you buy; it's your collective experiences, your values, your deeds which define you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.<br><br><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/DlQgxH_lxVI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/09/apples-and-oranges.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-46470487442639426282014-07-12T18:49:00.000-04:002014-07-12T19:04:00.935-04:00A Grateful ReminderTwo weeks ago I had the privilege of playing once again with <a href="http://www.tagealtermusik-regensburg.de/index.php?page=konzerte&amp;k=5">Bande Montréal Baroque</a>. This time <a href="http://www.tagealtermusik-regensburg.de/">Tage Alter Musik Regensburg</a><i>. </i>Our first performance there was the European première of Bruce Haynes&#39; <a href="http://www.atmaclassique.com/En/Albums/AlbumInfo.aspx?AlbumID=1449">N<i>ouveaux concerts Brandenbourgeois</i></a>, which was received very well. Performing again with the ensemble brought back many memories and helped me understand a few feelings I&#39;ve been having recently.<br>performing two concerts at the <br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/07/a-grateful-reminder.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/rNBF8EigPrE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/07/a-grateful-reminder.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-46309092556490953592014-07-03T23:31:00.001-04:002014-07-03T23:32:06.032-04:00Community<div>After three memorable performances with Eubo and The choir of Clare College Cambridge, I&#39;m now heading back to Canada for another concert as well as a bit of downtime. Although it has been over six months since EUBO assembled last, returning to Echternach gave me a feeling of returning &#39;home&#39; in a way. Arriving in town with the knowledge that all of your best buds will be at the hotel bar is something I don&#39;t experience often enough.<br><br></div><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/07/community.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/LaUWFgGzwhQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/07/community.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-24085732991050907132014-06-24T18:11:00.002-04:002014-07-03T23:31:17.967-04:00Peace and ReconciliationToday I leave Basel to perform with EUBO and the choir of Clare College, Cambridge, in a program titled <i>Peace and Reconciliation</i> to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of The Great War. Though I cherish another opportunity to play with such a fantastic group, the presentation of three works on the program have given me cause for concern.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/06/peace-and-reconciliation.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/CDfqX41vaOQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/06/peace-and-reconciliation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-65557466910153699022014-05-26T05:48:00.000-04:002014-07-03T23:26:39.430-04:00Polarizing WordsAt a <a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/01/our-very-own-returns-to-ottawa.html">post-concert</a> reception last February I had the chance to meet a couple who don&#39;t often attend early-music performances. In fact, I think it was their first time. In the middle of our conversation the husband used a word which caught me off guard.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/05/polarizing-words.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/EwmkMAdsuTk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/05/polarizing-words.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-23967446062436139352014-05-09T15:46:00.000-04:002014-07-03T23:26:52.107-04:00A Mystery Solved?Last week <a href="http://thestrad.com/">TheStrad.com</a> published an <a href="http://thestrad.com/latest/debate/historically-informed-performance-on-modern-instruments-is-misguided">opinion piece</a> which turned a few heads. Early music should be left to period players said Julian Haylock, but for all the wrong reasons. Though his hypothesis is polarizing, the evidence he chooses to support his argument is spotty at best.<br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/05/a-mystery-solved.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/8FqKPC6j7do" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/05/a-mystery-solved.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8759806303977688860.post-77080211330450273892014-04-13T08:13:00.001-04:002014-04-13T08:15:31.463-04:00Worth a ReadLast week Sara Sitzer wrote an article on <a href="http://www.newmusicbox.org/">Newmusicbox</a> on defining success. Many musicians coming out of conservatories today need to assess what success means to them. Last week I was lucky enough to run a round-table at the Schola focusing on the rationale of a career in music. My reason for the subject was that if we could define why we aspire for a professional music life, apart from the usual &#39;I like it&#39; or &#39;I can&#39;t see myself doing anything else&#39;, then even in our darkest hours we could take what we had learned to find the motivation to continue. In many ways Sitzer&#39;s article parallels this activity. <br><a href="http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/04/worth-read.html#more">Read more »</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheHeckeler-ClassicalMusicInOttawaAndBeyond/~4/3Q8E4nKTcLc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00850830368567841358noreply@blogger.com0http://www.theheckeler.ca/2014/04/worth-read.html